


Game Start

by prenumbreon



Category: Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Drowning, Kidnapping, Multi, Multiple Pairings, Pirates, Post-Canon, Virtual Reality, endgame spoilers, hostages, ish, its just the descriptions of it, no one actually drowns i promise, pairings come later, slight AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-11
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-15 09:13:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,905
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1299586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prenumbreon/pseuds/prenumbreon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events on the island, the game isn't over against Monokuma. Hinata has one chance-or 16 actually-to set things straight and bring back everyone who had been lost. It's a virtual reality game and Hinata has to win at all costs.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Game Start

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guess what, I'm back!  
> A quick note for all the pairings listed for this story is that there probably isn't going to be any blatant romance for a while. It'll hint at a few things initially, but there won't be anything incriminating, so you'll just have to hold steady for a bit of a build-up. This story is a little more plot and character oriented than romantically oriented--something different from what I usually gravitate towards. Hopefully you enjoy it regardless!

Dark. It was the first thing my mind registered when the first of my senses came back to life. Huffing out a quick breath to get the rest of my senses working again, I tried focusing on my surroundings. There was a faint creaking sound coming from the floorboards, groaning in a steady pace. A thin wind was whistling through what I assumed to be cracks in the boards, or windows if there were any around. And...it was damp. Really damp. I scrunched up my face, groggily blinking, regaining the feelings in my body and realized that I was lying on my side. Slick wood was pressed against my cheek on the floor, wet splinters tugging at my skin as gravity seemed to be shifting back and forth. No, no, it was rocking. The floor was rocking. What was this place?   
  
_ Where am I...? _  
  
Bracing my legs, I shifted strength into my abdomen to roll into a sitting position. Feeling out a good balance with the rocking floor, I timed my movements to roll with gravity into the position I was aiming for. Instinctively I stuck out an arm, but tumbled in the other direction when instead of bracing my body, my arm tugged weakly against a restraint behind my back.   
  
Instead of lying on my side, I found myself lying uncomfortably on top of my arms which had been secured with rope behind my back. My polo shirt stuck to my shoulders, wet with the water from the floor. It was water, right? I paused to sniff the air, catching the faint scent of seawater. The scent was thankfully familiar, but not necessarily comforting.   
  
Seawater. Ocean. Jabberwock Island. Where was the island? Where was everyone? Struggling to remember what had happened, I slowly pieced together my memories.   
  
Yes, right, I had been walking on the beach with Sonia. We were talking about...what were we talking about...?   
  
I groaned, searching through my mind. I must have had some kind of injury. My head was beginning to throb, and my memories were fragmented at best as to how I ended up on a wet, creaking floor in the dark. Off-handedly, I realized my shirt was unbuttoned and splayed across the floor to my sides. My tie was missing, and I briefly wondered where it had gone.   
  
Gritting my teeth, I pulled against the ropes wrapped around my wrists. The tight braids did nothing more than hold still, biting into flesh from the force and total weight from my body. Rolling with the shifting floor and flailing helplessly, I grunted trying to position myself on my side again. The building pressure wasn't pleasant.   
  
Focused on m movements, I almost missed the steady footsteps that grew louder and seemed to be coming closer. I stilled, holding my breath in anticipation as a door rattled somewhere in front of me. A loud clunk sounded, most likely a lock falling out of place, and light filtered into the space as a thick door cracked open. My pupils stung staring directly into the light, and I instinctively squeezed my eyelids shut at the unpleasant feeling. Heavy boots clunked forward until someone was standing in front of me, grunting with every one of his heavy breaths.   
  
"Aye, what a cozy looking lad you are. Nap time is over, boy!" The man huffed out in a sarcastic laugh.   
  
My eyes snapped open as a fist grabbed the front of my shirt, effectively hauling me to my feet. I stumbled, tripping over myself and almost falling to the side, but the man pulled at the rope around my hands to hold me steady. The floor still rocked back and forth, and it made me queasy trying to adjust to a standing position. I gulped down a mouthful of air In an attempt to relieve the sickness.   
  
"Pull yourself straight! Next time you fall, I'll drag you from the floor!"   
  
Without further notice, I was tugged forward towards the source of light. My shoulders bumped against the solid doorframe, and I was hauled unceremoniously out of the room. Sunlight flooded my vision and rendered me sightless for a moment, squinting against the harsh change of environment. I caught a quick glance at several faces staring in my direction before a sudden force hit me.   
  
"Back down on your knees! It's best you don't stir up any trouble, stowaway." The man, who on a closer look was hefty and bearded, slammed a hand down on my back, knocking me to fall to the floor. I gasped from the blow, exhaling sharply as I was once again pulled by my binds into a sitting position. I slumped forward. Brown hair hung wet and clumpy in front of my eyes, but I tried looking through it to take in my surroundings.   
  
There was a lot of blue. Blue skies and brown wood occupied my vision. I was on what looked like a large ship with long ropes hanging haphazardly everywhere. They hung thick from the tops of great black sails, splayed out full against the wind. A ship. I was on a ship, of course. The seawater made more sense. On both sides, I could hear the water rolling against the sides of the vessel making a rushing sound when waves crashed over themselves.   
  
I turned my attention ahead, acknowledging the many bitter faces that looked me up and down. There were men and women alike, all dressed in torn clothing of all sizes, shapes, and colors. Noticeably, each person had a stark black bandana hanging from their front pocket. The whole image vaguely resembled a uniform, but the group as a whole was visually too eclectic for that to possibly be the case.   
  
The hefty man pointed to me, addressing the other people who had been watching. "I think I speak for all of us when I say I don't appreciate no stowaways on the captain's ship. What say you, mates? What should we do with this useless luggage?"   
  
My heart pounded, body tensing at his announcement. Stowaway? What was he talking about? What was going  _ on _ ?   
  
"Out of the way! Let me have a look!" A voice bellowed out over the crowd, and several people moved to make a path. A large man towering over the others stepped through to the front. The man had broad shoulders, an overly-muscled body, slicked back hair, and a pose that exuded confidence and strength. Aside from the clothes, the appearance was too familiar to be a coincidence. It was Nidai!   
  
"Ni-!"   
  
"--Commander Nidai! I-I apologize, do what you will," The bearded man holding me interrupted my voice, stuttering and stepping away in apprehension.   
  
Nidai stepped to face me directly, standing proudly and intimidatingly as ever. He wore a different attire; instead of his usual school uniform, he was wearing ragged beige pants along with a dark coat that reached the backs of his knees. It ran full length down one arm, but was ripped on the other side, displaying the stark black bandana around his upper arm that everyone else had. Ignoring his new appearance and the chilling aura he exuded, I reveled in his presence. He had died! He had died, but he was alive, standing right before me!   
  
"Nida! You-you're alive! But how? I thought—I mean, you—you were...oh gods, I'm so glad you made it!" I croaked, tears threatening to pool at the corners of my eyes.   
  
"Hm? You dare address me as such? That's Commander Nidai to you, boy," Nidai barked in reply. I stiffed instinctively at his demanding tone. "You've got some explaining to do, and you better have a good reason for settling yourself on our vessel. The Black Hope doesn't take kindly to strangers, especially if we find that you're a spy from that despicable crew on the Howling Despair. If you are, you've a better chance swimming to shore from the middle of the sea than playing your luck with us. What do you say to that, boy?!"   
  
An odd silence passed as everyone in the crew stared in my direction waiting for an answer. It was unusual how everyone seemed to somewhat freeze while they waited for a reply. I sweated, still trying to wrap my mind around how Nidai was standing before me. He had died! I had seen his dead body with my own eyes, even if it hadn't been true reality. My thoughts spiraled around, lost to explain what was happening. Once a few seconds passed, the grunt that had been holding me shook my neck.   
  
"You best be answering the Commander. It's mighty rude to ignore someone when you've been asked a question, don't you think?" The man sneered in my ear, hands gripping tight around my shoulders. He was too close, and he stank. After already being relatively disoriented, the odor made me a nauseous when he refused to move away.   
  
"Get away from me, you gross freak!" I shouted, knocking into him with my shoulder while trying to struggle away.   
  
"Why you little-"   
  
In an instant, I felt my body lift from the ground, a tight arm around my middle. I floated above the deck for a few seconds, struggling against his hold until the edge of the boat receded from my vision and there was no longer a hold on my middle to struggle from. Waves crashed below, and I watched them rush closer for a moment before I splashed head-first into the icy water.   
  
"I don't have time for brats! Good riddance!"   
  
I barely heard the words far above as the sea sloshed around me. My head plunged beneath the surface, and I kicked helplessly as salty water flooded my mouth. Without use of my arms, there was no way to swim! I flailed, my legs splashing erratically against waves that did nothing to help my body sinking. I watched in horror as I sunk deeper and deeper into the cool depths. Water began to breach my lungs, and I felt my mind go blank, surroundings going black.   
  
\--   
  
'GAME OVER'   
  
Green letters flashed above me in darkness when I came to. I gasped for air, in shock from the sensation of drowning that had yet to leave my body. I blinked in confusion at the letters as I struggled to reclaim oxygen.   
  
"W-what...what...on earth...?" I moved my arm to place it against my chest to steady my rapidly beating heart, but like déjà vu, it was securely trapped in ropes behind my back. I whimpered in frustration and terror. Why was I back in the dark? Hadn't  I died just now? Was I dead?   
  
No, no. Not reality. It wasn't reality, and I reminded myself, taking deep, slow breaths to calm myself down.   
  
"Upupupu! Leave it to Hinata to go wasting a life so quickly!"   
  
I choked on air. Horror, dread, and disbelief washed through me in an instant as I realized who had just spoken. No. No! It couldn't be...! That voice...!   
  
A black and white bear dropped from the ceiling underneath the green letters that continued to flash. Those patterns were unmistakeable, there was no mistaking it. I grit my teeth, curling my fists behind my back.   
  
"Y-you! I should have known you'd be behind this, Monokuma! What's going on? What did you do?!"   
  
The fiendish bear cackled at my words, putting a paw up to his mouth as his grin seemed to stretch wider. "Yes, indeed! Who else could have done something so despair-inducingly brilliant other than this handsome bear you see before you."   
  
He twirled, raising a paw upwards. "Yes Hinata, what you see is all my work. You see, since I am such a gracious mammal, I thought I'd give you and your friends the precious second chance you had been desperately hoping for."   
  
"What...why are you doing this? What do mean--what do you want this time?! We defeated you at your own game, you already lost! Answer me, what the hell are you playing at!" I growled out.   
  
"My, my, you see, that attitude is what got you killed just now." Monokuma waved a claw in my direction, silencing me. "Now, if you want any chance at rescuing all the friends you lost on the island, you better listen."   
  
Huffing in anger with emphasis, I turned my head away. "I don't trust you. Why should I believe anything you say?"   
  
"I'm hurt! When have I ever lied to you guys? I am the most honest, true to his heart bear you'll find anywhere! I assure you Hinata, if anything I'm giving you some help after that last stunt of yours. I know what you've been trying so hard to find, why you didn't leave—which you should have, by the way. So foolish! Yet, I can help you find what you've been looking for if you'd listen up."   
  
A momentary silence passed through the dark as I contemplated his offer. I couldn't trust that despicable creature after everything he had put us through before, but...   
  
If it was as he said, and this was the only chance at figuring out the key to bringing everyone back, I had to listen. Seeing Nidai stomping around and yelling on the boat, even if he wasn't entirely like I remembered, was evidence enough to his claims.   
  
I raised my head, eyeing Monokuma skeptically. "Alright, I'll listen. What's your game?"   
  
"Upupupu! There you are, clever as always. It  _ is _ a game, though different from my usual routine. Since I am so honorable, I will tell you the rules to this new game of mine."   
  
"I'm listening," I said.   
  
"Good! The rules are quite simple. If you can make it 7 days in this game I've set up without dying or letting the hostages get killed, you win!"   
  
My eyes widened at his words. "Hostages? What do you mean?"   
  
He shook his head. "I take back what I said before, you're not as clever as I thought. Think about it Hinata, you're on a pirate ship right now, what do you think?"   
  
I furrowed my eyebrows at 'pirates', but said nothing, anxiously waiting for him to explain.   
  
"Anyways," he continued, "I should probably talk about your lives, since you've so recently and brilliantly wasted one away already. Your lives act like credits, you get one for every one of you bastards still in the system, including yourself. Every time you screw up and wind up dead, you lose a credit until you hit zero."   
  
"What happens," I gulped with nervousness, "if the credits hit zero?"   
  
"Oh that's the simplest and most despair-inducing part of all!" He cheered, "If you waste away all of your credits, dear Hinata, you die. Permanently. You and all of your precious friends."   
  
"You!" I yelled, pulling at my restraints. "I should have known it was going to be the same shit with you! You're planning on finishing the job, making sure none of us make it out alive!" I strained forward, kicking with my feet in his direction. I wasn't about to go through this again! I had to...!   
  
"Oh calm down. I haven't told you what happens if you win yet. Remember, I love giving you brats a fighting chance. What's the point of despair if I can't smash your hopes along the way?"   
  
I glared, waiting with anticipation for him to continue.   
  
"You see, here's your motivation to play my game. If you can successfully make it 7 days in my fun-filled, pirate themed playground, I'll let you and every one of your friends leave this place alive. Even the ones that were killed before, I'll bring them back."   
  
The 'game over' sign had long since gone dark, and there was nothing illuminating the space save for monokuma's form. I stared in disbelief at him, digesting his words. All the time I had spent on the island, searching for answers, it could all pay off with this. I worried my lip, furrowing my brows deeper. I knew I shouldn't get my hopes up when it came to deals with Monokuma, but it was so promising. I knew under no circumstances should I trust him, but even just a chance...just one chance...!   
  
"You take too long to think," Monokuma said, interrupting my thoughts. "Whatever.  Either way, you don't get to choose whether to play or not, I make the rules around here! But, this is where I take my leave."   
  
He turned away, facing his back to me and chuckled. "This time, be careful what you say. I'll let you in on a secret: Your friends don't remember you and they might be different from how you remember. Upupupu!! Be careful who you choose to trust, Hinata!"   
  
Like he had never been there in the first place, Monokuma disappeared instantly from sight. Only pure darkness was left, but as if on queue the door began to rattle. A clunk sounded hollowly as a lock fell out of place.   
  
The door cracked open with a swing exactly like the first time, and I was once again facing the same man as before, hefty and bearded, as he maliciously grinned at me on the floor. He stepped forward, his boots thunking heavily on the floor.   
  
"Aye, what a cozy looking lad you are. Nap time is over, boy!"   
  
I gulped, preparing myself again for what would happen. Monokuma's new game was on, and I was the main player.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!  
> This was the prologue, so it was relatively short. Next chapter is a real chapter so its a long one. Prepare yourselves!  
> The way I have all the parts divided up right now, there won't be more than 15 chapters, but each chapter is pretty long except for maybe 2 of them.
> 
> In case anyone noticed or is wondering, this story is very (and I mean very) loosely based off of the story Heir Apparent. I was originally going to stick with the medieval theme, but I didn't because there's a certain medieval themed fic in this fandom that I quite like already (you probably know which one I"m talking about). If you know the book, this fic is nothing like it besides the "beat the game, don't die too many times or you're actually dead." aspect.


End file.
